"I'm sorry, Rei. That boy was quite a handful, wasn't he?"
Vihera watched Mercurio’s retreating figure as he left with Siance, offering Rei a look of genuine regret. Rei gave a slight shake of his head.
"Don't worry about it. It's not like he actually did anything."
"When he acts normally, he's more than capable—he carries himself with the attitude befitting a member of the imperial family. It's just... well."
Rei nodded as Vihera trailed off.
"He's your brother, born from the same mother. It’s not hard to understand why he’s so attached to you."
"...I suppose the cause is that I doted on him too much."
They looked at each other for a moment, their eyes meeting, and eventually, they both broke into a smile.
"I'm glad to see you're doing well, Rei. Like I said before, I never imagined you would lose in the fighting tournament. And you too, Seto. Have you been good?"
"Guruuu!"
Seto purred happily as Vihera stroked its head. To the Gryphon, the answer was obviously "of course!"
Since the soldiers at the Third Prince Faction's position all seemed to fear it, Seto was delighted to find someone who would show it affection. It leaned into her hand, rubbing its head against her palm and silently asking for more.
Vihera noticed its desire and continued to pet Seto's head with a soft smile.
Several minutes passed before she finally pulled her hand away, a lingering look of disappointment on her face.
"I’d really like to talk more, but unfortunately, duty calls. I’m quite busy with various things, despite how it looks. Honestly, it feels a bit strange for someone like me, who officially fled the country, to be working this hard."
"I understand. Your brother’s life was in danger, right? It’s only natural for you to work hard as his older sister."
Rei meant it, even though he had never had siblings—not in his current life in Elgin, nor in his previous life in Japan. Because of that, he didn’t truly understand the bond between siblings, though he did feel a certain sense of yearning for it.
(Though, I don’t think I really need a brother who’s that devoted... a siscon younger brother like that is a bit much.)
Recalling their earlier interaction, Rei let out a wry smile. The fact that the figurehead of the Third Prince Faction had gone out of his way to meet a mere adventurer spoke volumes about his feelings for his sister.
"Um, there’s going to be a meeting with the army’s officers in a little while. I’d like to introduce you then, if that’s alright? It would be a great morale boost."
"I don't mind the introduction, but will it really boost morale? I feel like it might have the opposite effect."
Rei was well aware of his reputation within the Bestia Empire. He was hated enough that assassins like those from the Requiem Bell had been sent specifically to kill him.
(Speaking of which, I wonder what happened to those two? Since I'm no longer in the imperial capital, they’d have to join up with the Third Prince Faction to get to me... but within an organized army, strangers tend to stand out. Or do they?)
Rei reconsidered. The rebel army was a hodgepodge of the original faction, forces gathered around Vihera, adventurers attracted by the scent of money, and various other units. In such a chaotic assembly, a few unknown faces might actually go unnoticed.
"It will be fine," Vihera assured him. "Besides... they probably won't have the luxury of worrying about your past."
"Won't have the luxury?"
Rei instinctively questioned her ominous phrasing, but the only answer he received was an enchanting smile.
"Well, you can look forward to finding out later. For now, why don't you get some breakfast? This army provides rations, and you’re certainly entitled to them. Though... getting enough for Seto might be a challenge."
Vihera stroked Seto's head apologetically, but Rei shook his head.
"It can't be helped. Given Seto's appetite, they’d probably run out of food for the rest of the soldiers if they tried to feed it."
"Gururururuuu!"
Seto, who had been closing its eyes in bliss, let out a rumble of protest. To the Gryphon, that was a slight against its honor—Rei enjoyed eating just as much as it did, so if one was a glutton, then both were.
"I know, I know."
Rei didn't fully grasp the nuances of Seto's complaint, but he replaced Vihera’s hand with his own and petted the Gryphon’s head.
"Army rations are notoriously bland anyway. Besides, I have more than enough high-quality food stored in my Misty Ring. I’ve even got meals from the Eternal Sky Inn."
At the mention of the inn, Vihera’s eyes widened. Even having left the empire, she had been born and raised there; she knew exactly what kind of establishment the Eternal Sky Inn was. And with an Item Box like the Misty Ring, those meals would be as fresh as the moment they left the kitchen.
"I'm certainly envious, but... aren't you using that Item Box for the wrong things?"
"You think so? Storing food so I can eat a good meal whenever I want seems like a perfectly normal use to me."
Rei looked at her as if he truly didn't see the problem, and Vihera realized it was useless to argue. Even back in the labyrinth city of Exil, her beloved had been incredibly focused on food. Considering they had met in a dining hall, perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise.
However, a different question occurred to her. The food at the Eternal Sky Inn was legendary, but the prices were astronomical. Even if Rei had money, she wondered if he was spending too much. The fact that she found herself wanting to fuss over his finances brought a small, secret warmth to her chest.
"Rei, I have to ask... are you alright for money? The Eternal Sky Inn is the most expensive place in the capital."
"Money isn't an issue. I bet on myself throughout the fighting tournament. I just kept betting on my own victory, and the pile grew every round. Though, I didn't bother betting on the final match against Noise."
"Ah, I see."
Vihera was instantly convinced. For someone who knew Rei’s true strength, betting on him was a guaranteed win. It would have been foolish not to.
"If only I had been in the capital sooner. I would have bet everything on you."
"If you had, you might have solved this army's funding problems in one go. Anyway, I ended up with a massive amount of easy money. It wasn't hard to pay the chefs at the Eternal Sky Inn to prepare a stockpile of food for me. Like this."
Rei reached into the Misty Ring and pulled out a sandwich made with soft, fluffy white bread. The filling was Orc General meat that had been steamed and then grilled for extra flavor, layered with fresh greens and thin slices of boiled egg, all drizzled with a special sandwich sauce.
Since it had come straight from his Item Box, the sandwich was steaming, and the savory scent of the sauce immediately filled the air. Several soldiers standing nearby, who were still waiting for their own breakfast, couldn't help but let out audible groans of hunger.
Rei, with his sharp five senses, didn't miss the sound, but he didn't react. He simply handed the sandwich to Vihera.
"Here. Consider it a souvenir."
"...Is this really for me? Thank you."
Even if it was just a sandwich, it was a gift from Rei, and Vihera beamed with joy. Her radiant smile was so dazzling that the surrounding soldiers forgot their hunger for a moment, completely mesmerized.
But her smile soon faded into a look of regret.
"It's almost time. I have to go. Rei, let's talk properly later, alright?"
She reached out and softly stroked Rei’s cheek, her hand lingering for a few seconds as if confirming that he was truly standing there before her. Finally, she pulled away and began to walk off.
Following a sudden impulse to say something meaningful, Rei called out after her.
"Vihera! I’m really glad I found you. I’m counting on you for a while."
"Yes, you’d better be prepared," she said, looking back over her shoulder with a sultry, enchanting gaze. "While Elena isn't here, I'm going to make sure you can't think of anyone but me."
She vanished into the camp, leaving Rei feeling a sense of relief that she hadn't changed, and Seto, who was nudging him with a look that clearly said it was time for its turn. The soldiers, meanwhile, remained rooted to the spot, dazed by the allure of the princess's gaze.
"Well, we should be safe here."
"Guruuu."
Seto let out a slightly disgruntled rumble. After Vihera left, the surrounding soldiers had begun staring at Rei’s Misty Ring with such longing that he had beat a hasty retreat to a quiet grove near a river. Seto's bad mood stemmed entirely from the fact that its breakfast had been delayed for the sake of privacy. Rei could only offer a wry smile at his partner's single-mindedness.
"Alright, cheer up. Let's eat. What do you want? How about some fish for a change? River fish, anyway."
In the landlocked Bestia Empire, river fish was the primary source of seafood, and their culinary techniques were highly refined. Rei pulled out a salt-grilled fish that resembled an ayu, a species that only lived in the cleanest waters.
It was similar to the ayu Rei remembered from Japan, though it had yellow stripes like a tropical fish instead of spots. Back in the countryside in Japan, Rei had caught them every summer; they were the taste of his childhood. While ayu was a seasonal summer fish in his old world, this imperial variety could be caught year-round.
Seto, being a Gryphon—half lion, half eagle—absolutely loved fish.
"Guruuu!"
Its bad mood vanished instantly. Seto purred with delight as Rei placed the salt-grilled fish on a plate.
Rei took one for himself as well. Because it had been stored in the Misty Ring immediately after cooking, the skin was still perfectly crisp and the salt savory. The fatty white meat flaked apart in his mouth, releasing a clean, fresh flavor.
"...Delicious."
The fish he’d had in the port town of Exil had been good, but there was something different about river fish. It was a nostalgic, grounding flavor.
After finishing the fish, Rei pulled out a more substantial sandwich filled with thick-cut ham, greens, and sliced boiled eggs.
"Here you go, Seto."
"Gurururuuu!"
Seto snapped up the sandwich eagerly. While it liked fish, it clearly preferred the weight of meat.
"Hmm... then how about this too?"
He pulled out a bowl of boar stew—the meat had been seared before being slow-cooked in a rich broth. It was a hearty dish designed for the heavy eaters of the fighting tournament; the meat was so firm and elastic that an ordinary person might have struggled to chew it.
For Seto, however, it was the perfect texture. It snatched up the chunks of meat and swallowed them easily.
Tucked away in the quiet grove, far from prying eyes, Rei and Seto enjoyed a breakfast far more decadent than anything a rebel army on the march could ever hope to see.